This invention relates to a body for a passenger car of the type having a top constructed as a roof covering a passenger compartment above the vehicle body belt line.
From German Patent Document DE 822 658, a passenger car is known which has a top which comprises a closed roof which impairs the view of the occupants to the outside. Analogously, this applies to the coupe top according to German Patent Document DE 11 31 528.
In addition, a motor vehicle roof construction is known according to German Patent Document DE 34 39 880 in which a movable roof section is inserted into an opening of the body.
It is an object of the invention to design a top of the body of a passenger car in such a manner that the occupants' view to the outside is improved and a relatively large roof area can be opened.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an arrangement wherein the top has laterally spaced lateral roof frames, bounding respective side windows, a first angularly movable roof section mounted adjacent to a vehicle windshield frame, an adjoining second longitudinally movable roof section, and a third fixed roof section which forms an extension of the second roof section, said roof sections extending laterally between the lateral roof frames.
The principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that the top with its roof sections, which may consist of glass and may partially be openable, forms a purpose-oriented combination of a closed and an open body. In this case, it is not only the occupants' upward view which is excellent, for example, for viewing occurrences and landscapes above the roof, but, as a result of the movable roof sections, a good ventilation of the passenger compartment is also achieved, or similar to the situation in an open vehicle, the occupants can see the environment which is presented to them.
The movable roof sections are constructed in the manner of a sliding roof, in which case the first roof section is a wind deflector and the second roof section forms the actual sliding roof. The latter roof section is constructed to be adjustable under the third roof section by means of appropriate kinematics and guides.
The top comprises easily producible frames and supports which may be made of steel, plastic or light metal. The third roof section which, like the other roof sections, is a piece of glass, and the rear side windows are inserted into openings of the top and are fastened by means of gluing. As a result of this construction, the top has sufficient stiffness while its weight is acceptable.
Finally, the top, including its essential parts, may be a prefabricated module which is held by means of screwed connections at the vehicle body which may have the frame structure of a convertible. As a result, the top can be fastened to a convertible body without any significant changes so that another variant of the model can be provided by means of relatively low expenditures.